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Stats preview to the first Test between South Africa and West Indies in Port Elizabeth

S Rajesh25-Dec-2007

Despite their poor record in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, considering their performances against West Indies, start as favourites © AFP
South Africa have won their last four series, while West Indies have lost six in a row. If past record and current form is anything to go by, South Africa should dominate the three-Test series which starts on Boxing Day. In 19 Tests between the two teams, South Africa have won 12, while their home record against West Indies is even more daunting – eight wins in nine games.

South Africa v West Indies

Tests SA wins WI wins Draws

Overall 19 12 2 5 In South Africa 9 8 0 1 As the table below shows, all the South African batsmen have enjoyed plenty of success against West Indies. Jacques Kallis leads the way with an average of 77, but his numbers are even more impressive at home: in nine matches against West Indies he averages a staggering 108.81, with five centuries. In his last six home innings against them he has racked up four hundreds and a half-century, with a lowest score of 44. Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs are struggling for form, but both have relished the West Indian attack in the past.

South African batsmen v West Indies

Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s

Jacques Kallis 18 1856 77.33 7/ 9 Graeme Smith 8 923 76.91 5/ 1 Ashwell Prince 3 199 66.33 1/ 0 AB de Villiers 4 460 65.71 2/ 1 Herschelle Gibbs 17 1376 50.96 3/ 6 Mark Boucher 18 598 27.18 2/ 1 Among the West Indian batsmen, their two left-handers, Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, easily overshadow the rest. Gayle’s average is the highest, and the fact that he coped well with the South African pitches in the past, averaging 61 from three Tests, makes it crucial that he recovers from his hamstring injury in time for the first Test. Daren Ganga, his opening partner, has struggled against South Africa: in 15 innings against them – 14 of them overseas – Ganga averages a measly 13, and has gone past 30 once.

West Indies batsmen v South Africa

Batsman Tests Runs Average 100s/ 50s

Chris Gayle 11 1021 48.61 3/ 2 Shivnarine Chanderpaul 14 1072 42.88 3/ 4 Dwayne Bravo 3 177 35.40 1/ 0 Marlon Samuels 4 206 25.75 0/ 2 Daren Ganga 8 197 13.13 0/ 1 The four South African bowlers from the current squad who have played West Indies in the past all have impressive records against them, with Andre Nel leading the way.

South African bowlers v West Indies

Bowler Tests Wickets Average Strike rate 5WI/ 10WM

Andre Nel 7 39 20.61 43.0 2/ 1 Shaun Pollock 15 65 23.41 59.1 4/ 0 Makhaya Ntini 12 53 25.52 47.1 5/ 1 Jacques Kallis 18 44 29.43 68.9 2/ 0The West Indian bowlers have all found it extremely tough to take wickets against South Africa, though the numbers may not accurately reflect the skills of Daren Powell and Fidel Edwards, since both have improved considerably in the last year.

West Indian bowlers v South Africa

Bowler Tests Wickets Average Strike rate 5WI/ 10WM

Pedro Collins 2 6 31.33 75.0 0/ 0 Chris Gayle 11 8 41.75 101.1 0/ 0 Daren Powell 4 9 52.77 98.0 0/ 0 Dwayne Bravo 3 4 79.75 156.0 0/ 0 Fidel Edwards 5 8 95.00 125.6 0/ 0 Rawl Lewis 2 1 225.00 441.0 0/ 0South Africa have generally done well at home, but Port Elizabeth has been a relatively tough venue for them: in 22 Tests, they have won only eight and lost ten. Since their re-admission to international cricket in 1992, they have done better here, with four wins in ten matches. The table below gives their venue-wise record at home since 1992 – in terms of win-loss ratio, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg remain the lowest.

South Africa at home venues since 1992 (at least 5 Tests at a venue)

Venue Tests Wins Losses Win-loss ratio

Centurion 13 10 1 10.00 Cape Town 18 12 3 4.00 Durban 15 7 2 3.50 Johannesburg 19 8 6 1.33 Port Elizabeth 10 4 3 1.33 The weather conditions suggest the captain winning the toss will prefer to field first, which is the route most captains have taken at this ground. In the ten Tests since 1992, the team winning the toss has fielded seven times, and of the seven games which have ended decisively, five have gone the way of the team bowling first.

Emma Hayes has revealed her Star Wars obsession, with the future USWNT boss seeing the funny side of her head being superimposed onto Han Solo’s body.

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Currently in charge of WSL side ChelseaTaking inspiration from sci-fi franchiseWill start new job in the States this summerGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Hayes, who remains in charge of WSL title hopefuls Chelsea for now, has admitted to taking inspiration from George Lucas’ famous film franchise during her final season as head coach in west London. She has said: “The Force Awakens, Star Wars episode six [seven, sic], that gave me a lot of inspiration. I'm certain that the resistance continue to inspire and we can keep at bay that evil empire. For now, all I'm thinking about is I need to get onto The Mandalorian.”

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‘The Force’ is certainly strong in Hayes, as she has become one of the most decorated managers in women’s football. There have been suggestions that she could move into the men’s game at some stage, but her next port of call will be in the United States.

WHAT HAYES SAID

Hayes will be hoping to steer the USWNT to Olympic and World Cup glory during her tenure, allowing her to earn the kind of acclaim that Rebel Alliance leader Han Solo enjoyed when piloting the Millennium Falcon. She has already been transformed into Harrison Ford’s on-screen character by , and has posted on social media of that slightly disturbing graphic: “Absolutely brilliant. I love the hairy chest. Can’t wait to see the one with me as Chewbacca.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR HAYES?

Hayes will link up with the USWNT at the end of the 2023-24 campaign in England. She has Chelsea on course to defend their WSL crown this season, while Champions League glory – a trophy that the 47-year-old has never captured – remains up for grabs.

The two former allrounders have joined head coach Matthew Mott as part of preparations for the next two World T20s

ESPNcricinfo staff18-May-2018Australia have added two former allrounders – Shelley Nitschke and Ashley Noffke – as assistant coaches to their support staff, headed by Matthew Mott, as part of preparations for the next two World T20s. Both Noffke and Nitschke were also part of the support staff during the recent India tour.Nitschke will also support former team-mate Leah Poulton to develop the next generation of players in the Women’s National Performance Squad, while Noffke will assist on all domestic and international tours, as well as high performance camps.”I’m delighted to have Shelley and Ashley join the coaching group for the next two years. They both bring extensive playing experience to the group, which will be invaluable,” Mott said. “I’m looking forward to seeing them build on the strong foundation that (former assistants) Joe Dawes and Tim Coyle have laid.”Shelley has an impressive coaching resume and had a really positive impact on the group during the tour to India. She knows the women’s game inside out and is a great asset for our programs.”Nitschke has been in various coaching roles with South Australia, Cricket Australia and the Adelaide Strikers, whom she also played for, when she came out of retirement in the inaugural WBBL season. She is expected to continue as the Strikers assistant coach in the next WBBL season.During her playing career for Australia women from 2005 to 2011, Nitschke picked 153 wickets across formats with her left-arm spin and scored 3118 runs, including an ODI hundred, in 115 international innings. She was ranked the No. 1 allrounder and bowler when she retired in 2011, and had been named the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2010.Noffke represented Australia in a solitary ODI in 2008 and two T20Is, and retired from first-class cricket in the 2010-11 season. He later joined the Queensland support staff as a bowling coach.Australia recently completed a successful tour of India where they whitewashed the hosts 3-0 in the ODIs, before winning a T20 tri-series that also featured England.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has received a major update in his pursuit of Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma as speculation continues to rumble over his future, according to reports.

Is Luis Palma joining Celtic?

Greek journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has issued a major update on the future of Palma amid reports linking the 23-year-old with a move to Celtic, as he stated on X: "Not confirmed 100% yet, but seems Luis Palma will be out of Aris Thessaloniki squad for the match v Lamia on Sunday. Celtic and two non European clubs offers are on the table. Palma wants Celtic."

The journalist, who works for Greece-based outlet Sportime, has since dropped further insight on Palma's potential next career steps and has indicated that the Honduras international is now closing in on a switch to Parkhead, stating: "Celtic are really close to sign Luis Palma from Aris Thessaloniki. Agreement in principle between the clubs, €4,1m. plus some bonuses. Palma 's contract €650.000 per season, probably for a 4 years contract."

Palma has been a coveted presence this summer, attracting interest from the Hoops' city rivals Rangers, Anderlecht and Watford among others; however, he now looks set to link up with former Liverpool boss Rodgers in Glasgow following a whirlwind couple of days where swift negotiations between both parties now look to be veering toward their conclusion.

Of course, Celtic have been in the hunt this window to find a replacement for Portuguese winger Jota, who was sold to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for £25 million earlier in the summer, as per Sky Sports.

Rodgers has already signed off on six signings since returning to Parkhead in the form of Gustaf Lagerbielke, Maik Nawrocki, Odin Thiago Holm, Marco Tilio, Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Yang Hyun-jun, as per Transfermarkt.

In light of Palma's seemingly impending arrival, Celtic fringe man Sead Haksabanovic could find himself further down the pecking order at Parkhead and Football Insider claim that the Montenegro international is looking for an exit before the transfer deadline.

Is Luis Palma a good fit for Celtic?

Palma certainly fits the profile in terms of the style of recruitment Celtic have adopted this window, which has entailed bringing in young stars with potential with the aim of eventually selling them on in the future for a considerable profit.

His statistics also make for pleasant reading in his time at Aris, where he has notched 17 goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances for the Greek outfit encompassing all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The Honduran arriving at Celtic would also spell the end to a long, drawn-out search for another wide option at Parkhead. Wolverhampton Wanderers star Daniel Podence was considered according to reports; however, it always seemed unlikely that the Hoops would fork out anywhere near the funds needed to satisfy his mooted £12 million price tag.

Scotland international Ryan Fraser was also courted by Celtic, though he is on the verge of completing a season-long loan move to Sky Bet Championship side Southampton, as per The Daily Echo.

Cristiano Ronaldo still knows how to find the top corner with a 25-yard free-kick, while Sadio Mane also has his shooting boots on for Al-Nassr.

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Portuguese icon remains prolificNo slowing down at 39 years of ageTaking in domestic & continental actionWHAT HAPPENED?

The Saudi Pro League outfit will, after booking their place in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League, be back in domestic action on Sunday when taking in a trip to Al-Shabab. A star-studded squad has been put through its paces ahead of that game.

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Al-Nassr placed plenty of emphasis on shooting practice in their final warm-up session, with Ronaldo and Co given a chance to get their eye in ahead of competitive action. Ronaldo looked lively in passing and fitness routines, before crashing a long-range free-kick into the top corner when setting his sights on the target.

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Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Ex-Liverpool star Mane also found the back of the net during a productive shooting drill. The Senegal international has been catching the eye alongside Ronaldo in the Middle East, with head coach Luis Castro having plenty of world-class talent at his disposal.

Newcastle United will travel to Bramall Lane on Sunday to face Sheffield United in the Premier League before welcoming Burnley to Tyneside the following weekend.

Forthcoming fixtures against newly-promoted opposition; a chance – with victory clinched against Brentford last time out – to put together a three-match winning streak to fully restore the feel-good factor on Tyneside after a challenging start to the campaign that left Eddie Howe's side nursing three successive defeats after a 5-1 win over Aston Villa hinted at such promise.

That's not to say the Magpies are in the mud, far from it. A minor blip does not erase the remarkable feats of the past 18 months or so, with Howe lifting the club away from relegation danger and now fighting for silver-laden success, having defied expectations with a top-four finish last term, despite the lucrative PIF club takeover.

AC Milan presented United with their first continental test of the season, with the Premier League outfit emerging from the San Siro with a point to start off their group phase.

It was an impressive result, all things considered, but the performance itself left little to be admired from an attacking standpoint, with £63m club-record signing Alexander Isak flattering to deceive.

How did Alexander Isak play against AC Milan?

Newcastle, frankly, got battered for large portions of the affair in Italy earlier this week. Despite demonstrating their quality on the ball and definitely proving to be the more energetic and high-octane team, Milan unleashed 25 shots on Nick Pope's goal compared to just six strikes from Howe's men.

Isak led the line for all of 89 minutes but was not among those to test Mike Maignan between the sticks, nullified by a resolute and solid home defence, who left him "knackered" by the time of his withdrawal, according to presenter Kev Lawson.

Isak game vs AC Milan by numbers

Statistic (Sofascore)

Match score

6.5

Goals

0

Assists

0

Total shots taken

0

Key passes

1

Pass completion

89% (17/19)

Dribble success rate

20% (1/5)

Duels won

42% (5/12)

As clearly delineated by the 24-year-old's listed metrics on the night, he endured a forgettable affair and found very little success, effectively marshalled.

While he did drop deep and look to influence the play from the centre of the pitch, he failed to do anything of note with his possession – which is why his pass success rate, which looks impressive on face value, actually doesn't work in his favour given that he failed to carry the ball into positive openings and didn't strike on goal himself.

Should Eddie Howe start Alexander Isak?

Isak was impressive last season and tantalised a future of prolific success on Tyneside, and that's despite suffering an injury-hit campaign.

Indeed, the £120k-per-week phenom posted ten goals and two assists in the Premier League despite only starting 17 times, heralded for his "complete" attacking abilities by former Willem II coach Adrie Koster.

Blighted by issues that sidelined him for 16 matches, the 6 foot 3 machine looks to have found his full fitness this season, and while he scored twice on the opening day of the term, against Unai Emery's Villa, he has yet to net again, starting four times since.

Undoubtedly, the goals will come sooner rather than later, but it might be wise for Howe to remove him from the starting line-up and offer someone else a chance to impress.

The same could be said for £55m summer signing Sandro Tonali, with the Italian midfielder – who was signed from AC Milan – "struggling to impact" the contest against his former side in the Champions League, according to Craig Hope.

A talented playmaker – who ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for assists per 90 – he has not quite hit the ground running despite scoring on his debut, and might also receive a relegation to the bench in the short-term.

Who could replace Alexander Isak?

Clearly, if Isak doesn't start as Newcastle's focal point up top then there is only one man tailor-made to lead the line and do so with a flourish.

Callum Wilson has been superb since joining Newcastle from Bournemouth for £20m in the summer of 2020, scoring 41 goals and supplying ten assists from just 81 matches since his arrival.

Last season, he scored no less than 18 goals from just 21 starting appearances in the Premier League, also registering five assists and earning praise for his "clinical edge" by editor Andrew Musgrove.

And after bagging three times in the Premier League already this term – despite only starting the recent win over Brentford, where his penalty proved decisive – the 31-year-old does indeed appear to have that sharpness to propel the Toon back into form.

As per FBref, Wilson – who just recently signed a contract extension with the St. James' Park side – ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals and the top 9% for assists per 90.

When comparing that with Isak, who ranks among the top 25% of forwards for goals and the bottom 21% for assists per 90, it's clear to see who offers the more clinical attacking edge.

Of course, the Swede is far more dynamic and boasts a higher ceiling, not just because of his youth but the range of his talents – also ranking among the top 16% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

But given that Wilson has yet to receive successive starts in the Premier League this season and boasts an impressive record against both Burnley and the Blades – with eight goals and an assist from 16 matches against the two teams combined – Howe might be wise to offer him a shot as the star man up front.

Isak might be a formidable force but he has not quite clicked into gear this season, and with Wilson possessing that Midas touch in attack under Howe's stewardship, he must be provided with a starting berth going forward.

The incident could end up attracting the attention of match officials, already alert to such moments in a series that is not short of them

Firdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth09-Mar-20184:02

Holding: Rabada needs to control himself a little bit

Kagiso Rabada’s shoulder brush with and send-off of Steven Smith could end up attracting the attention of match officials, already alert to such moments in a series that is – even at just over one-Test old – not short of them. Nathan Lyon, David Warner and Quinton de Kock have all been sanctioned after the first Test, though potential consequences for Rabada could be graver. The match referee, Jeff Crowe, is expected to make a ruling on the incident on Saturday morning.Rabada found reverse swing shortly before tea and angled a length ball in at middle stump towards a shuffling Smith, who was struck on the back pad, in front of middle stump. Smith was given out on-field by Kumar Dharmasena and, in celebration, Rabada continued in his follow-through, shouting “Yes, yes,” in Smith’s direction. With Smith directly in his line of movement, Rabada’s shoulder made contact with that of the Australian captain.Smith reviewed but began walking as soon as replays showed where he had been hit. Rabada went on to take four more wickets, claiming five in the space of 18 balls, either side of the tea interval, to scythe through Australia’s middle order, and made considerable use of the reverse-swinging ball. He also had a small word with Mitchell Starc, the last of the five wickets to fall.Rabada came into this fixture already on notice – he currently has five demerit points to his name and another three will see him sit out two Tests; a tally of eight demerit points within a 24-month period attracts such a penalty as per ICC rules.Rabada’s rap sheet dates back to February last year when he picked up three demerit points and a 50% match fee fine after a shoulder shove to Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella in an ODI. He then earned a another demerit point in July, when he swore at Ben Stokes after dismissing him at Lord’s during the first Test between South Africa and England. Rabada missed the second Test at Trent Bridge as a result; four demerit points lead to a ban of one Test or two limited-overs games, whichever comes first, while eight demerit points result in double the penalty. Each demerit point stays on a player’s record for a period of 24 months, staying active even after the four-point threshold is broken.This year, Rabada added a fifth point to his name when he gave Shikhar Dhawan a send-off during an ODI at St George’s Park last month. Replays showed Rabada waving goodbye to Dhawan and then telling him to “f*** off”.While the punishment for both his verbal transgressions amounted to only one demerit point, physical contact, which is deemed inappropriate and deliberate, falls under a Level 2 offence. If found guilty of such a charge, a minimum of three demerit points are applied. That would take Rabada to eight, which would mean he misses the rest of the Australia series.This series has already been marred by three instances of players committing code of conduct offences. Lyon was fined 15% of his match fee and received one demerit point for dropping a ball close to AB de Villiers when he was run out in Durban, Warner was fined 75% of his match fee and earned three demerit points for his role in the stairwell saga that has dominated headlines between Tests, and de Kock was fined 25% of his match fee and earned one demerit point for his part in the same.

Shane Warne’s line against right and left-handers, and Andrew Strauss’s control

On the ball with S Rajesh and Arun Gopalakrishnan08-Sep-2005Shane Warne has been the outstanding bowler for Australia in this series, and he proved it again on the first day of the final Ashes Test. Pressed into service before lunch on a first-day pitch, Warne winkled out three wickets in the morning session, and then picked up two more over the course of the day to end with splendid figures of 5 for 118. The highlight of his performance was his control against both left-handers and right-handers. There was no rough on the track yet, but Warne pitched 83 deliveries to the right-handers on or outside leg, and kept the batsmen down to only seven runs, an indication of his class and the batsmen’s respect for him.Warne has contributed 33 out of the 80 wickets taken by Australia in this series – that’s more than 41%. And Australia’s reliance on him is further highlighted by the fact that Warne has taken the first wicket in England’s innings five times out of nine in this series – twice each in the second and fourth Tests, when Glenn McGrath wasn’t around – and in the first innings here.If Warne was Australia’s hero, then Andrew Strauss ensured that England didn’t completely throw away the advantage of batting first. Strauss hasn’t had a very happy time of it in the series so far – especially against Warne – but today he went some way towards getting his own back. The stand-out feature of his innings was his assurance at the crease: his in-control factor – that’s the number of deliveries middled, left alone, or padded up to – was an impressive 87%. Though he was finally dismissed by Warne, for the fifth time in the series, Strauss handled him with assurance throughout the innings, achieving 90% in-control factor (70 out of 78) against him. In fact, England batted more comfortably throughout the day than the scoreline suggests – their in-control factor against all bowlers was 82.5%, and, quite surprisingly, the bowler they handled most easily was Glenn McGrath, against whom their control factor rose to 87.7%.

The pitch was slow and the outfield fast. India tried five spinners and England a quintet of seamers. And the paths England and India tread to reach their scores of 226 and 230 were remarkably different

George Binoy31-Mar-2006In the end, the game turned out to be a low-scoring but tight contest. The pitch was slow and the outfield fast. India tried five spinners and England a quintet of seamers. And the paths England and India tread to reach their scores of 226 and 230 were remarkably different.England crawled to 13 for no loss in their first seven overs while India chopped 43 runs off their target in the same time. But while England picked up the pace with a flurry of boundaries and, more importantly, sustained the run-rate on a sluggish pitch by picking off singles and twos with tremendous ease, India hit a deep rut. England ran 95 singles in their innings while India had 79. Though, in terms of runs, the difference might not seem much, the singles kept England going while the lack of them caused India to struggle in the middle overs. Between overs eight and 20, England added 56 runs while India managed only 28. The following graphic shows the comparison between the teams between during that period.However, during the slog, England failed to increase the run-rate where India succeeded. In Kevin Pietersen, they had the perfect batsman to bash the ball and he obliged by carting Yuvraj Singh for a four and a six before holing out next ball. After his departure in the 43rd over, England found the fence on just one occasion as they added just 28 runs and lost five wickets in the last seven overs. For India, Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni bided their time, watching as the asking rate increased to beyond six an over, but never letting it get out of hand. It was their ability to put away the loose ball that kept India always in control of the chase. By the end of it, India had hit 23 fours and a six to England’s 16 fours and two sixes. The following graphic compares the scoring pattern of the two teams after the 40th over, a period in which India hit seven fours and a six and England just two fours and a six.India won their 14th consecutive match chasing, equaling the record set by West Indies who won 14 straight chases between February 1985 and November 1986.Kevin Pietersen reached 1000 ODI runs in his 21st innings and equaled Viv Richards as the fastest to the landmark.Virender Sehwag’s 26 off 45 balls was his slowest innings for a score above 25. His strike rate of 57.77 is lower than the 34 off 58 balls against South Africa at Kingsmead in 2001-02.

Southampton are still in the hunt for a new attacking right-back following the departure of Tino Livramento to Newcastle, and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential target.

What is the latest Southampton transfer news?

According to Football League World, Tottenham are looking to send Djed Spence out on loan this summer with Southampton being one of several clubs showing an interest.

Since joining Spurs in July last year, the 23-year-old has only played 41 minutes of senior football and with his development continuing to stagnate in north London, a loan move away could help him get back to his "swashbuckling" best – as he was once described by Ian Wright.

Despite a whole host of clubs circling for his signature, including Crystal Palace, the report also states that Ange Postegcoglou wants to send Spence to a club that would be the right fit for him and given the Saints play a possession-heavy style under Russell Martin, they certainly fit the profile.

How good is Djed Spence?

From being one of the standout players in Nottingham Forest's promotion-winning campaign to virtually playing no senior football at Spurs, it's fair to say that Spence's career has taken a turn for the worst in the past year, though a Championship loan this summer can help spark his career back into life.

After being sent out on loan by Middlesbrough in the 2021/22 season, Spence went on to make 39 appearances, scoring twice and assisting five times, but it was during Forest's shock victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup that he announced his name in lights.

Lauded by Stephen Warnock as "outstanding" following this exceptional performance, the pacey 6 foot right back was a thorn down the Gunners' left side all evening, wreaking havoc with his electric pace and monstrous ball-carrying.

This magnificent display drew praise from several high-profile pundits but the most flattering of compliments came from Arsenal legend Wright, who said: "I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time."

He then continued to wax lyrical about his display by saying: "I said to him, in all seriousness, 'that level we saw there? You should be in the Premier League'. Simple as that."

While Spence would later get his dream move to the top flight, it hasn't worked out as he would have desired, but dropping to the Championship and playing for Southampton can see him resurrect his career and become the heir of Livramento.

Similarly to Livramento, Spence has pace to burn in possession, can carry the ball in an effortless motion and thrives in one vs one situations, which are all strengths that saw him quickly rise to stardom at Forest and become one of the most sought-after prospects in the second tier.

He exemplified his ability to carry the ball long distances and become a driving force for his team through his excellent attacking metrics, ranking in the top 1% in the division during 2021/22 for his progressive carries (4.35), the top 4% for his successful take-ons (1.89) and the top 5% for his carries into the final third (2.54) with Livramento recording 3.23, 1.23 and 2.21 for those metrics in the same season, albeit in the Premier League.

With Arsenal reportedly eyeing up a move for Kyle Walker-Peters following the injury to Jurrien Timber, this would leave a void that needs filling and if Spence can return to the form he showed while at Forest, then Southampton should strongly consider acting quickly in their pursuit of the 23-year-old.